Fruitland back in semifinals
Grizzlies send Orofino back to 2A ranks with 67-6 beat down

By Larry Hurrle
Argus Observer
Saturday, November 7, 2009 10:49 PM PST

Larry Hurrle | Argus Observer Fruitland's Justin Seamons (2) takes an exchange from quarterback Zach Rhinehart (8) and looks for running room against Orofino's defense Friday night in quarterfinal action of the Idaho 3A state football playoffs. Fruitland won the contest 67-6.

FRUITLAND —The good news for Orofino was Fruitland’s starting offense only scored five touchdowns.

The bad news was those five touchdowns all came in the second quarter, adding to two first-quarter touchdowns and putting the game well out of reach by halftime in quarterfinal action of the Idaho 3A state football playoffs at Fruitland.

Fruitland built on its 47-0 halftime lead with three more touchdowns by its second team in the second half to cruise to a 67-6 drubbing of the Maniacs and advance to the semifinals next week.

“We felt like we had to come out and get after them because they weren’t very deep,” Fruitland head coach Bruce Schlaich said after the game. “They’ve got some very talented kids and for whatever reason they didn’t play their best football tonight.

“Hats off to our kids, they came out and executed very well early and kind of overwhelmed them.”

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Defensively, Fruitland set the tone of the game early, allowing just two Orofino first downs in the first half, one coming on the last play of the first half.

Fruitland allowed just 31 total yards in the first half, which forcing three Maniac turnovers, including pass interceptions by Reggie Ramirez and Jake Crim. Orofino finished the game with 153 total yards.

Orofino did not break into positive yardage until its fourth possession of the game, going negate six yards on its first three possessions.

“Our defense had just gotten better and better each week,” Schlaich said. “Early in the season I think it was a little suspect. We’ve just gotten better each week. Coach (Rob) Carter and Coach (Larry) Ziegler  put together a great scheme each week for these guys. The guys have to learn something different each week and they’ve been good about doing that and adjusting.”

Things started a little shaky for Fruitland. After Orofino went three-and-out on its first possession, Coleson Warrington bobbled a Maniac punt and Orofino recovered.

Fruitland’s defense rose to the occasion, though, again holding Orofino to negative yardage and forcing a second punt.

On Fruitland’s first offensive play, a pitch sailed over the head of running back Daulton Blackwell, but Fruitland recovered the pigskin for a nine yard loss.

“Those things happen on a cold night sometimes,” Schlaich said. “We managed to get our composure and come back and play some pretty good football.”

It didn’t take Fruitland’s offense long to get untracked. On the play following the fumbled pitch, Jordan Martin picked up 40 yards on a running play and Fruitland ambled 75 yards in eight plays before Blackwell scored the first of three touchdowns on the night with a three-yard run into the end zone with 5:16 left in the first quarter.

Blackwell also scored two of Fruitland’s five second-quarter touchdowns on runs of 30 and 16 yards, respectively.

Martin, who scored Fruitland’s second touchdown of the first quarter from one yard out, also had a touchdown in the second quarter from 10 yards away.

Austin Rawlings also had two touchdowns for Fruitland in the contest on runs of 1 and 29 yards, while Justin Seamons had Fruitland’s longest run of the night, a 61-yard scoring sprint in the third quarter.

Nick Rayo and Trevor Day also scored for Fruitland on runs of 23 and 2 yards, respectively.

Orofino’s only score came late in the fourth quarter when Bo Brooks took a pitch to the right side for a seven-yard touchdown.

Fruitland finished the game with 511 total yards, all on the ground. The Grizzlies did complete one pass on the night, but a pass interference call negated the play. Quarterbacks Ryan Wright and Zach Rhinehart were each 0-1 on the night in passing with no interceptions.

Blackwell led all rushers for Fruitland with 103 yards on nine carries, while Martin finished the game with 100 yards on 11 carries. Seamons picked up 89 yards on 7 carries, while Rawlings chipped in 75 yards on 11 carries.

The victory vaults Fruitland into semifinal action, which will take place at Fruitland next week. The Grizzlies play the winner of the Payette-Timberlake game.